Just Imagine
by trallgorda
Summary: A new mutant with the ability to imagine any power is pursued by Magneto, and Kurt's research paper has led to an invitation to meet another school of mutants, but are they friends or foes? Chapter 13 up, please R&R!
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1

She ran, praying that the mob chasing her wouldn't catch up with her. What had she done? What was wrong? All she had done was save someone's life, and now they were chasing her and calling her a mutant! She could still see the child as he ran out into the street, how she had reached out for it, and how he had just seemed to fly back onto the sidewalk to land at her feet. For saving his life, they were ready to kill her!

Thunder rumbled overhead while lightning splintered the sky. Slipping in the puddles of an alleyway, she looked for a place to hide. Desperate, she jumped into a metal garbage can and pulled the lid down on top, hoping that no one would think to look inside for her. The sounds of the mob came closer, reached a roar, and then gradually faded away. She waited, hearing only the tinny echo of her own breathing as she willed her chest to stop pounding.

She couldn't stay in this city anymore, that was certain. People would remember her as a mutant, and they wouldn't allow it. She felt tears come to her eyes but resolutely fought them down.

"I'm not going to cry," she whispered to herself. "I'm not!"

When had things become so horrible for her? She couldn't remember. What she did remember was suddenly being able to do anything--anything she imagined, really. If she wanted to read minds, she only had to imagine herself doing it. Disappearing and reappearing? All it took was a little imagination. Changing her appearance? Simple.

As simple as her abilities were, the consequences of them became very complicated. Her family, never one to trouble itself about her in any way, either by encouraging her or punishing her, suddenly became rather watchful of her. When she had been caught practicing her abilities by her father, he had told her to pack her things. That very afternoon she landed in a "teenage treatment facility," which was a pretty fancy name for a mental home. He left her there, telling the doctors to cure her, and told her that she would come home once she was better.

She lasted there for only a week before she ran away. The doctors, counselors, staff, and other "residents" talked to her as if she were crazy. She was always watched, and if her mind wandered the slightest little bit, she was bombarded with questions as to how she was feeling or if there was anything the matter. One girl told her that if she wasn't crazy when she came in, then she would be when she left. One night, she grabbed her things, imagined herself invisible, and slipped out. Still invisible, she boarded a train which took her to the next city, and she hoped to find a place that would take a teenager who was willing to work and go to school. She wasn't going to return home.

That glorious plan ended before it had even begun since she had demonstrated her powers. Now what was she going to do? She had to leave, and the sooner she did the better. She would get onto another train that would take her somewhere else, somewhere far enough away so that no one would have heard about this.

She pushed the lid of the can up, but received the shock of her life when it slammed down on top of her. She screamed for help, positive that the mob had found her after all and had crept up on her unawares. She screamed again, pushing at the lid and praying for help from any source.

"Relax, child," she heard a deep, dignified voice say from outside of the can. "I am not here to hurt you, but to help you."

"Who are you?" she shouted to the man outside. "Let me out!" To her horror, she felt the can lift from the ground and begin moving up.

"All in good time, my dear," he said kindly. "I'll let you out once we get where we're going."

Fear suddenly settled over her like a cold, wet blanket. She had heard countless stories of mutants being snatched off the streets by the government or mad scientists wanting to experiment on them. Panicking, she felt her powers come to the fore and take over.


	2. Chapter 2

I just couldn't wait to add more to this!

Chapter 2

Every student at the Xavier Institute for the Gifted was asleep and quiet, for a change. That did not mean that the faculty wasn't awake, however. Logan was in the Danger Room working out some frustration, Ororo was watering her plants in the conservatory, Hank McCoy was working on some experiment that had his colleagues very nervous, and Professor Xavier was in Cerebro. When the Professor's voice came over the intercom sounding very worried, all of the adults dropped what they were doing and rushed to Cerebro.

"What is it, Chuck?" Logan wanted to know. "Is it something I can slash?"

"I don't think so, Logan," the Professor said, shaking his head. "It is a young mutant needing our help, but I have a feeling that Magneto is also looking for her. Round up the older students, and tell them to meet us in the hangar. We must help this girl."

"What is so special about this child, Professor?" Ororo asked as Logan and Hank went to wake the appropriate students.

"As far as I can tell, she has the ability to do anything, and I touched her mind for only a moment: she is very frightened, and I think that her fear is beginning to overwhelm her. A mutant with that much fear in her will have trouble controlling her powers, and with a lack of control always comes difficulties. We must do what we can."

"Of course, Professor," Ororo said in agreement. "I'll ready the Blackbird."

The students rushed into the hangar, ready to do whatever was needed of them. Scott, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, and Rogue took their seats without being asked, and while they took off and headed to their destination, the Professor briefed them.

"Sounds kinda like me," Rogue said, folding her arms as the Professor finished. "You know, I touch a mutant and boom! I got his power. She's lucky, though. She can do the same thing without the whole 'hands-off' deal."

"I do not know if her power runs along the same lines, Rogue, but her situation is somewhat similar to yours," the Professor said as they neared the target city. A large fireball, dwarfed to the size of a marble by distance, suddenly blossomed in the air.

"I take it that's where we're going," Scott said as they drew closer. Logan began to fly lower in order to allow them to land on a roof. Another fireball showed them how close they were.

After landing and exiting, the X-Men looked down on a scene of chaos: Firefly was running from a tiger made of flames, Sabertooth was on the ground unconscious, Magnus was trapped under debris, Gambit was dodging small explosions, and Magneto was fighting off an attack from a couple of cars, some industrial-size chains, and an overflowing dumpster.

"What's wrong with this picture?" Logan asked, too surprised to say anything else.

"Where's the girl we're supposed to be helping?" Nightcralwer asked. "I don't see her anywhere."

The Professor looked around. "Over there," he said, pointing. The team spotted her, crouched beside a large blue mailbox with her hands held over her ears. Even from that distance they could see that she was shaking.

"Gambit be gettin' tired o' dis!" they heard from the street. "Magneto, you better be doin' something!"

Magneto, too busy with a chain that had wrapped itself around him like a parody of a boa constrictor, did not answer. Firefly, having run into a wall in his flight from his own fire, was now knocked out, and fatigue showed in every dodge of Gambit's.

"We have to do something, Charles," Beast said, "before they become even more injured."

"I agree, Hank," the Professor said, nodding. Putting his hands to his temples, he closed his eyes and concentrated, reaching for the girl's mind with his own.

Sensing his approach, she lashed out, but he dodged her mental "blow." _Who?_ she demanded, trying to back away from him.

_A friend_, he answered. _We have come to help you._

She tried to lash out again. _That's what he said! I won't! I won't!!_

_We will not force our help on you,_ he promised, dodging again. _I know that you cannot stay here, if you do, people will try to hurt you. If you come with us, neither Magneto nor they will be able to reach you._ So saying, he allowed her to see exactly what was offered: a safe and comfortable home, school, and a chance to practice using her powers without censure. Uncertain, she made a request.

The Professor opened his eyes. "She's beginning to believe me, but she isn't quite certain. She wishes someone to allow her to look into his or her mind to verify what I'm telling her."

It was quiet for only a moment, but then Kurt piped up. "I'll do it, Professor. Should I teleport down to her?"

"I'll tell her, then go down," Xavier told him. _One of my students is on his way down to you. Don't be afraid of him,_ he said, projecting an image of the rambunctious but friendly Kurt into her mind.

"Better hurry, Chuck," Logan said, watching the battle below. "Gambit's knocked out now, and it looks like Magneto's on his last legs."

Kurt teleported a few feet from the girl, surprising her a little, but not enough so that he was attacked. "Guten tag, fraulein," he said, smiling. "Look on what you like."

Hesitantly, she took his chin in her hand and turned his face toward her, making his eyes meet hers. It was only a few moments, but Kurt felt as if the contact lasted much longer. She was as good with her powers as the Professor was: she looked at only what she wanted to see, and allowed nothing else to intrude. She examined his memories of the Institute and how it felt to be there. She saw the fun he had, how he enjoyed school, and what he and his friends did. She even looked at practice sessions where he employed his powers. She looked away, breaking the contact, and rose to her feet.

"I'll come," she whispered. "Just don't let Magneto find me."

"How did you know what his name was?" Kurt asked, puzzled.

"I saw it in the Professor's mind," she answered, laying her hand on his shoulder.

BAMF!

Kurt blinked. They had teleported, but he hadn't been the one doing it. He smiled the slightest bit. He was going to like this girl.

"Can we go?" she asked the Professor quietly, turning towards him.

Logan was still watching the battle. "How 'bout you cut Magneto a little slack first?"

"Oops," she said, as if she had forgotten. With a small movement of her hand, the attack ceased and Magneto, exhausted, drifted down to the ground where he lay gasping.

"Will he be all right?" she asked, concerned.

"He'll be fine shortly," the Professor said, smiling at her encouragingly.

She looked worried.

"But he won't be fine soon enough to follow, I bet," Kitty said, sounding a trifle pleased. "Ooh, I'd hate to think of the headache he'll have in a little while!"

"That's enough, Kitty," Beast said gently. "One should not rejoice in another's misfortunes."

"You're only saying that because you have to set a good example," Kitty teased as she went up the gangplank into the Blackbird. "C'mon, let's go home!"

The others followed, and the girl sat down in the seat Scott offered.

"I'm Jean, and this is Scott, Kitty, Rogue, Professor Xavier, Mr. McCoy, Storm, Logan, and you already know Kurt. What's your name?" Jean asked as Logan piloted the bird up into the sky.

The girl smiled shyly. "I'm Elizabeth."


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, guys! I'm so happy that you like my fic! Okay, since you asked for more, here it is!

Chapter 3

It was close to dawn when the Blackbird reached the Institute. Most of the kids had fallen asleep, but Elizabeth had stayed awake, gazing out the window and thinking. Xavier wondered what she was thinking about and he could probably find out, but he wasn't going to use his own abilities to spy on her. One did not pry into one's student's thoughts. There were some things that conscientious educators did not do unless they were in very special circumstances.

"Is that it?" Elizabeth asked as they hovered over the Institute.

"That's it," Logan answered as he took the Blackbird down. "Whaddaya think?"

"It's big," she said, not taking her eyes away from it. "And it's pretty."

"You should see the back garden in the spring," Xavier told her, smiling. "It's full of roses, rhododendrons, lilies, morning glories, and even sweet peas. It's quite pleasant there."

"Who planted all of those?" she asked, amazed at the strange assortment.

"Oh, a person here and a person there," Beast said as they landed and Logan opened up the doors.

The other students roused at the noise and sleepily stumbled out of the jet, and Xavier sent them off to bed. Ororo showed Elizabeth to her room and promised her a full tour in the morning once she was rested and fed. "Would you like anything to eat now?" Ororo asked once she remembered that she may not have had a chance to eat regularly.

"No, thank you," Elizabeth said, dropping onto the bed, unable to remain politely standing. She hadn't known that it was possible to be so tired. "Is there a place where I can clean up? I kind of had to hide in a garbage can, and I feel kind of gross."

Ororo showed her where the nearest girls' bathroom was, gave her clean towels, lavender-scented soap, and shampoo, and made sure that she remembered the way back to her room. Elizabeth rejoiced at the sight of the bathtub and immediately ran a full bath of the hottest water she could stand. She soaked for a few minutes before scrubbing her skin to a bright pink and rubbing her scalp until it hurt. She ducked under the water to rinse, but came up feeling much cleaner. Pulling on the clean underwear and nightgown that Ororo had left for her, and sighing at the touch of the soft fabric, she wiped out the tub and mopped the water she left on the floor, depositing her towels in a hamper once she was finished. Suddenly unable to keep her eyes open, Elizabeth wandered back to her room and dropped into bed. After a few days of sleeping on the streets, in bus stations, and alleyways, this place was the height of luxury compared to them. Perhaps this was going to be a place where she could stay.

Noise woke her later that morning. Her eyes went to the alarm clock on the bedside table. 10:30. She leaped from bed, suddenly afraid that she would be in trouble for sleeping so late. Had she missed a waking call or something?

Someone knocked, startling him.

"C-come in?" she stammered, uncertain.

"Good morning," Ororo said, smiling as she came in. "How are you feeling? Would you like some breakfast, or would you like to get some more rest?"

"I'm not in trouble?"

"Not at all," she assured her.

Elizabeth sighed in relief. "Breakfast, please," she said, "once I'm dressed."

Ororo nodded. "All right, I'll meet you downstairs once you're ready. There are waffles this morning."

Elizabeth smiled at the thought of waffles as Ororo left. She reached for the clothes that some kind soul had set out for her, thinking that if this morning were any indication, she was going to like it here.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After a hot breakfast of waffles covered with apples, Storm led Elizabeth around the mansion in a tour: they covered the library, the playing fields and pool, and the Danger Room. They watched a training session of the senior students through the glass of the observation deck, and Ororo could tell that their newest student was impressed. At lunchtime she was introduced to the rest of the students, and she actually smiled at Logan's complaints of how noisy a Saturday was around the mansion.

"They should lengthen the school week around here," Logan muttered, sipping at his afternoon coffee. "Then maybe we could have a quiet Saturday once in a while."

"Bite your tongue," Kitty said, glaring at him. "We've got enough to do without an extra day of school!"

"It's just a suggestion, half-pint," Logan said, matching her glare. "No need to take it personal."

Kitty went back to her meal.

"Is the high school nice?" Elizabeth asked, poking at a meatball on her plate. She liked spaghetti and meatballs, but she had never had these kind of meatballs before. What if she didn't like them?

"It's great, except for the other students," Kitty said. "They tend to try teasing us. If it were just us, it'd be perfect."

"Try?" Elizabeth asked, perplexed.

"They kind of keep away from us and tease at a distance, since they can't always count on us not to use our powers," Kurt said after slurping up some spaghetti. "Most students don't tease us at all since they don't want to risk it. Only a few blockheads try it."

"Elf!" Logan snapped. "Mind your manners!"

"Sorry."

Elizabeth giggled. She really liked Kurt since he was so funny. He didn't know it, but he had a blob of spaghetti sauce on his chin, and it clashed horribly with his blue fur. Jean noticed, however, and handed him his napkin and pointed to his chin.

"Thanks," Kurt said, folding his napkin over so that the soiled side was hidden, as was polite to do. Elizabeth felt another smile starting. Her grandmother had taught her good manners, but the rest of her family had failed to remember their lessons in the same subject. It was funny: He slurped spaghetti, but he remembered what to do with his napkin once he had used it. Maybe he was minding his manners now?

"So, what do you feel like doing after lunch?" Jean asked.

"I don't know," Elizabeth answered. "I still feel kind of adrift. Is there anything that I _should_ do?" she asked, directing her question to the Professor.

He seemed to consider it. "Not unless you feel it's necessary to do something," he answered. "Do you have a daily practice routine that you put yourself through, or a meditation time set aside?"

"Not really," she said, thinking about it. "Could I try practicing though, in the Danger Room? I don't want to hurt or scare someone inadvertently."

"That room was built for practice," Logan said. "Knock yourself out, kiddo."

Looking to the Professor for confirmation and seeing it, she smiled.

"Would it bother you if you had an audience?" Scott asked wistfully. "We'd like to see what you can do, if that's all right."

A wave of shyness overcame Elizabeth. They were curious? About her? She could hardly believe it. The last group of people to see her in action had gone berserk. What if the same thing happened here? What if her powers were too creepy for them?

"Don't be self-conscious or anything like that," Kitty said, smiling reassuringly. "We all have powers that are kind of weird, and don't worry that we'll freak out about them. The last time we freaked out about anything was when Kurt had a burrito marathon at the Taco Palace and came home only to lock himself in the bathroom for three hours."

Everyone at the table started laughing while Kurt stared at Kitty in dismay. "Kitty!" he wailed, embarrassed past description.

The Professor merely smiled. "Kitty," he said, trying to be stern, "that was not polite or kind, or even tasteful for the table. You should apologize."

"I apologize, everybody," she said, still smiling. "And I apologize to you too, Kurt. I didn't mean to embarrass you or gross anybody out."

Kurt's only reply was a muffled "Okay," and slipping further down in his chair so that only the top of his head was visible. "Apology accepted."

Elizabeth helped with the cleaning up and followed the other students to the Danger Room afterwards. They took their places in the observation deck while she went into the main part and prepared to practice. Scott offered to run a Basic Program for her, one full of small dangers and obstacles that she could pit herself against, and she agreed.

It didn't last long. A tentacle wrapped itself around her right ankle, and a moment later, it had rusted right off into flakes. More tentacles took hold, but they were turned back or broken with apparent ease. A laser tried to stun her(the most she would feel would be something like the tingle a static shock gave) and a moment later, it was disabled. More lasers met the same fate as she dodged and tumbled through them. An obstacle course was navigated without much effort on her part, and a booby trap of a trap door was stopped before it could even open. That was where the program ended.

"That was impressive," Scott congratulated her on the intercom. "Could you show us anything else?"

She nodded and waved to show that she would. Sitting down on the floor and concentrating, she focused her mind on a single picture. The kids up in the observation deck gasped as the Danger Room turned into an English garden, complete with a fountain, lily pond, statuaries, and a swing. After a moment, that picture faded as another one formed. This time, it was the inside of an old but gorgeous theater in which a ballet was being performed. The next image was of horses cantering about in a ring, and the last was of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

"How was that?" she asked, waving up to them.

"Amazing," Kurt said, taking the microphone away from Scott. "How do you do that?"

"I just imagine it around me, and it's there," she said, shrugging. "It tires me out, though. Would it be all right if I went and lay down for a while?"

"Whatever you like," Jean assured her. "We'll see you later, and thanks for showing us!"

Elizabeth waved one last time and left the Danger Room. Scott turned off the programs that had been on standby, and turned to face the rest of the students.

"Anyone else amazed?" he asked.

"I think everyone is," Kurt said, smiling. "She's totally awesome!"

"Yeah, but I hope that she never loses control or gets lost in a daydream," Rogue said, folding her arms. "If her power's driven by imagination, she could wreak havoc and not even know it."

"Well, that's the Professor's job, to worry about teaching her control if she doesn't have it already," Jean said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "But I'd say she already has it. Did you see how well she handled the program and how sharp those images were? Those are sure signs of control."

"That's good, then," Kurt said as the left the deck. "She won't have to worry about keeping herself under control at school. I wonder how she'll handle that?"

No one answered, for they were all thinking different things. All of them, though, were optimistic.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Elizabeth loved school, and all of the Xavier kids could tell that right away. In all of her classes she paid rapt attention to everything the teacher did or said, and during lunch time she had one of her books out and was reading it.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Rogue asked, looking over her shoulder. "History? You're not studyin' for next week's test already, are ya?"

"But I have to catch up," Elizabeth pointed out. "Besides, I like history."

"Each to his own, I guess," Rogue said, turning back to her salad.

Kurt came to the table and dropped into a chair. From the look on his face, Scott and Jean and the others could tell that he had had a very bad morning.

"Ah, Kurt? What's wrong?" Scott asked, not quite sure if he should bother him.

"Ah, _Scheisse_!" Kurt said angrily. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

"Trust me, we'd believe ya," Rogue said grimly. "What's got your fur all in a bunch?"

Kurt glared at her, but spoke. "We were picking topics out of a hat for our research papers. We can't switch topics once we've picked them, and guess what I picked?"

Everyone looked at him, hoping that it wasn't what they thought it was.

"Mutants?" Rogue said at last, quietly.

"I got the topic 'Are mutants a danger to the majority of society?'" he growled, taking his lunch bag and beginning to shred it into tiny pieces. "I have to affirm it or refute it. How can I possibly write a paper on that? It's not like I can be objective about it, and it's not as if the proof the world has seen so far points the perfect friendliness of mutants towards humans! I think I may just take an 'F' and be done with it."

Elizabeth looked very carefully at Kurt. "Who says you have to use the evidence you've had so far?"

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to be stared at. With her light blond hair, green eyes, and white skin, she turned red very easily.

"I don't understand," Kurt said. "What do you mean exactly?"

"Do you _have_ to use evidence the world has already seen a thousand times, or can you find your own sources to prove your point?"

Kurt began to look thoughtful. "I suppose I could look for something new, if there's anything besides mutant-hate views out there."

"There are," Elizabeth said. "There's even been a book and a bunch of articles by this one guy. I saw the book at the library back home, and I'm sure you could order it."

"Who is he?" Jean asked. "Where's he at now?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to remember. "His name is Dr. Samuel O'Toole, and he lives out in Colorado. I think he does some sort of work for mutants now."

"Sounds like somebody we all know and love," Kitty said, taking a sip of her soda. "Kurt, I say get the book, find the articles, and then see if this guy cites anything or anyone else in the articles or book. If necessary, write to him and ask him. It would be better than doing nothing or giving up."

"Hmm," Kurt said, beginning to munch on an apple. "I think I'll try it. Thanks, Elizabeth."

"No problem," Elizabeth said, going back to her history.

Space

Over the next week, Kurt worked on his paper. He received the book on interlibrary loan from the public library in town, and he was ecstatic when he found the guy's personal/professional website (articles included) online. There was even a "contact me" link, and Kurt wrote to him, asking if he knew of any more sources he could use. Kurt received a list of ten just a day later.

"_How_ many sources did you have to have?" Kitty asked that night.

"Five," Kurt said, making notes in the margin of one printout. "He was awfully nice you know, sending me all that stuff."

"Yeah, the teacher's gonna see your 'works cited' list and flip his toupee," she said, looking at one article. Every student in the school knew that the composition teacher wore a toupee, and as a result, he was the butt of almost every hair joke ever cracked within the school.

Another two weeks went by, and Kurt got regular e-mails, asking how his paper was going. He began to feel as if that doctor were one of the coolest people around. He took as much interest in Kurt's schoolwork as the Professor did.

Kurt handed in his paper a day early and got it back with the rest of the class. When he met his friends for lunch, everyone clamored to see it.

"Elizabeth gets to see it first," he said, "since she gave me the idea for it."

Elizabeth took it, looked at it, and smiled. "Great," she said, handing it to Scott.

Scott looked at it and grinned, holding it out so the others could see it. "Hey, way to go, buddy!"

There, at the top of the paper, was a big red "100" and a comment below it: "Scholarship sound, sources excellent. _Extremely _good work."

"Do you think he'd like me to fax him a copy?" Kurt asked.

"I guess," Rogue said. "Who'd figure you for a brain?"

Kurt glared at her, but the effect was rather spoiled by the grin he still had plastered on his face. He was elated at receiving one of the best grades in the class, even after being made fun of for being a mutant by the rest of the class. It didn't matter.

Space

A week later, Kurt had to see the Professor. He'd received some very surprising news in his e-mail, and he had to talk to the Professor about it.

"What can I do for you, Kurt?" the Professor asked once Kurt had found him in his office.

Kurt explained quickly, and the Professor sat there, regarding him with solemn eyes.

"So, this doctor runs a school for mutants, and he has invited us to come for a visit since we are also a school for mutants. How does he know this, Kurt?"

Kurt stared at his feet and looked ashamed. "We were IMing one night, and it kind of slipped," he explained. "I didn't mean to, Professor, and he _said_ that he would keep it to himself! He's not bad at all, and he helped me with my paper."

"Yes, that's true," the Professor said. "I didn't know of any objective sources myself, so I would have been no use to you. Let me try to learn a little more about him, and I will let you know what I and the rest of the staff decide, all right?"

"Thanks, Professor. I'm sorry I let it slip."

"That's all right, Kurt. I'll talk to you soon."


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, guys! Thanks for the reviews!

KaliAnn--I don't know if Elizabeth would be comfortable with a codename yet, but I think she might like a cool costume. She's the type that likes something new to wear. As for her abilities and comfort level and joining the X team, that's still up in the air. She's just starting at the Institute, and the Professor isn't very sure what her powers are yet. She'll come along in her own way and time, don't worry.

Psycho88--I got the idea for Elizabeth's powers from the concept of "projective telepathy." I found out about this concept in books by Christopher Stasheff.

Animejunkie1008--I'm glad you like it so well. Please keep reviewing!

Chapter 6

It was a quiet Sunday at the Institute. Most of the kids were relaxing in all the ways the usually relaxed, and small explosions from the Danger Room didn't disrupt the calm atmosphere too much. Kurt was in the student lounge, hanging out and listening to music while Scott and Jean were out to the movies. Kitty was on the phone, Rogue was being Rogue, and Elizabeth was in the library, doing some homework. It wasn't really an assignment, but she liked to keep ahead of her classes. Finishing the exercise, she put her schoolbooks away and pulled out the novel she was reading. She was halfway through the most exciting part of the book-- the battle of the elves and trolls, with the Mountain King watching over it all--when screams erupted from the student lounge. Logan streaked past the library and leapt into the lounge, finding nothing.

"Who was screamin', and why?" he demanded.

"There were…creatures of some kind!" Jubilee blurted. "They were here just a second ago!"

Kurt's tail suddenly drooped into Logan's face. Logan glared up at the teenager, whose eyes were wide, and his hand was clutching his chest.

"Whassamatter, elf?" Logan demanded, somewhat disturbed to see the usually boisterous teen so uncharacteristically quiet.

"_Ungeheuer!_" Kurt breathed, still frightened. "_Fabelwesen!_"

The Professor came in shortly after that, asked a few questions, and was perplexed. "You all saw the same things, but when Logan crashed in, they disappeared?"

All of the students in the lounge agreed.

"Interesting," the Professor said, still perplexed.

"Professor?" a tiny voice said. "I think I may know what happened."

"Elizabeth?" Xavier said, turning to regard the girl who stood in the doorway. "Do you know what happened?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "I was reading, you see, and I forgot to hold my thoughts in, and I think they picked up on them."

"What were you reading?"

"A story about elves and trolls and a Mountain King and the Princess of Woldenmere."

They all stared at her.

"So you were readin'," Rogue said, "and imaginin' it all in yo' mind, and we saw what you did?"

She nodded. "It doesn't happen as long as I hold my thoughts in, but if I get lost in a story, it's easy to forget to do that."

"Well, if that's all," the Professor said congenially, "then there's no danger to worry about."

"I'm really sorry, Professor," Elizabeth said, sounding truly contrite. "It's just that it was such a good story--"

"I know how you feel, Elizabeth, you needn't worry. I often become lost in books myself."

The Professor found Elizabeth looking at him very carefully, and heard the thought _Yes, but you don't take everyone around you along for the ride, do you? I have to be careful, or I'll do it again!_

_I'm sure that you'll manage, you're a very clever girl,_ he thought, kindly. She smiled, and the tension in the room dissolved.

Space

Professor Xavier studied O'Toole's Academy for Gifted Students for a whole three weeks before calling an Institution-wide meeting. He told them about the invitation, and asked if they felt if they should accept or decline it.

"I say we go," Kurt said when asked. "He's always been nice to me when we wrote or IMed."

"It could be interesting," Rogue said.

"We could totally hook up!" Kitty exclaimed enthusiastically when it was her turn. "There are probably some really cute guys!"

"I say the more people we know, the better," Scott said, quietly putting in his opinion.

"I'm with Scott," Jean said, agreeing. "Friends and allies are always helpful to have."

"I'd like to go," Elizabeth said quietly. She had been very subdued since the "book incident," as most of the students referred to it, if they ever did. Sometimes they liked her to read something for them so they could "watch" the action. Movies didn't have anything on Elizabeth's imagination.

"We could discuss pedagogy with the faculty there," Mr. McCoy said thoughtfully. "Exchange teaching ideas and strategies, swap anecdotes, develop ideas…the possibilities are endless."

"Storm? Logan?" the Professor prompted, wanting their opinions as well.

"Hank's right, it is a good opportunity," Ororo said. "And our students will get a good chance to socialize with others without the shadow of a stigma."

"Logan?"

He shrugged. "If you wanna go, I say let's go."

The Professor smiled. Logan was always a man of few words, but Xavier could tell that underneath the surface he was practically churning with anticipation.

"All right," the Professor said, smiling for his students. "I'll send word of our coming, and we'll get ready to go this week."

The students started cheering, and Xavier reflected that happy students was one of the rewards of his profession.

Well? Should we continue?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

They took the Blackbird to go to O'Toole's once the Bayville school year ended. Everyone had packed a bag and piled into the plane as soon as they were ready. The professor and Ororo sat up front, and Logan and Beast stayed with the kids to entertain them. It didn't take long for them to start singing songs at the top of their lungs, and Logan hunkered down in his seat, looking ready to kill. When asked by Beast if he were all right, Logan snarled that he was fine, but couldn't he shut the kids up? Beast replied that there was nothing he could do about it, they were excited. Logan simply put his hands over his ears and glared at the world until they were flying over Colorado. The kids quieted, becoming increasingly nervous. What would this group be like?

Ororo spotted the campus in the hills below and announced that they were landing now. Silence met her, except for Logan's mutter that it was about time, he'd been getting bored. She glared at him, but he ignored it, watching the school below grow bigger. The kids had plastered themselves to the windows as well, praying that everything was going to go okay.

Little clouds of dust rose as they landed in the front yard, and the crowd of kids and adults waiting on the front steps of the main building shielded their eyes from it. Kurt nervously turned on his holo, hoping and praying that they wouldn't be too freaked out by blue fur once he turned it off.

The Professor rolled down the gangplank once they had landed and settled, and the person that had to be Dr. O'Toole came forward to greet them. With red hair and freckles, he looked as if he were everyone's idea of a best friend.

"Professor Xavier, I presume?" Dr. O'Toole said, holding his hand out to Logan.

Logan simply looked at him and pointed to the professor.

"Oh! Ah, forgive me, Professor," Dr. O'Toole said, offering his hand to the correct man.

"No offense was taken, doctor," the Professor assured him, taking the proffered hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And a pleasure to meet you," O'Toole answered. "Now, who's who, here?" he asked, gazing past the professor and Logan to the students and teachers still on the gangplank.

Xavier smiled and introduced the adults and then the students. When he got to Kurt, Dr. O'Toole took a moment to tell him just how much he had enjoyed reading the paper that Kurt had faxed him. Once O'Toole was finished, Kurt's fur had gone a deeper shade of blue, a sure sign that he was blushing.

If Kurt was deep blue, then Elizabeth was bright red when she was introduced. Her shyness had begun to disappear at the Institute and Bayville, but in new surroundings with new people, it had returned tenfold. She squeaked that she was happy to meet Dr. O'Toole and hastily took refuge behind Jean.

O'Toole then introduced his faculty and students, and invited the X-men inside.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It had been a long day, Elizabeth decided as she slid into her bed. She loved the arrangement here at O'Toole's place: two bedrooms to a common living room, and there were so many rooms here that she was able to have her own room. Smiling, she thought back to all that they had done that day.

The first thing had been lunch. It had been served picnic-style on the lawn, and hot dogs, hamburgers, salad, potato chips, fruit salad, ice cream, soda, lemonade, cookies, and cake had been quite welcome. Kurt had dived in with both hands and his mouth wide open, coming up only for air or to talk. She grinned at the memory: Kurt, chewing on a cookie, a burger in one hand and a hot dog in the other. She could well imagine him using his feet and tail to hold more food, but he had wished to blend in with the other kids more, so he hadn't taken the chance.

The kids' powers were many and varied: one boy grew armor, a girl could do anything with fire, another blew things up, and a young man (obviously one of the senior students) seemed to have come into his powers rather late since he had trouble controlling them: they were a form of telepathy. A pair of twins were super-strong, and a boy who was their older brother could move the earth.

After lunch, O'Toole and his staff had given them all a tour of the school, and everyone had been impressed with the library, computer lab, and gymnasium. Kurt, unable to resist the high ropes course above their heads, had 'ported up and began going over the course like a monkey.

"How. . .is he doing that?" O'Toole asked, surprised at Kurt's athletic ability. "He doesn't have enough limbs for the job he's doing, it seems like!"

Elizabeth had smiled then. None of O'Toole's students or his teachers knew what to look for—a skinny blue prehensile tail that was doing a lot of the work. The Professor had only smiled and said that Kurt would explain it when he felt ready.

After that, the kids had been allowed to socialize or run wild, whichever suited them better. One boy had more energy than even Kurt, and had proved it by running circles around everyone. It seemed he had super-speed just like Pietro, but he lacked Pietro's annoying arrogance, according to the other Xavier kids.

Dinner had been fun: Pizza, salad, and breadsticks, but of course, everyone forgot about the salad and breadsticks. When Kurt had gotten into a burping contest with Billy (the super-fast kid), the teachers had called a halt to dinner and socializing and sent the students off to the dormitories. Once in the dormitories, chaos ensued, but the teachers were far removed from it, which was the way they liked it.

Still thinking about this, Elizabeth was startled when she heard a voice inside her head.

_I don't believe this. . ._

She sat up, listening hard, hoping that it was just her powers and not encroaching delusions as she feared.

_Here I am, and I'm stuck with just _walking _like a normal person! Oh, I am _so _getting Magneto back for this!_

Elizabeth started to shake, frightened by the word "Magneto," but she forced herself to listen. As she did so, other voices entered her head, holding her where she was. Where were they coming from?

A young man's voice. _We ah in some major trouble now, c'est vrai. Mon Dieu, how we escape from this?_

Another kid's voice. _If I could, I'd shake this place until it was nothing but rubble!_

A slimy-sounding voice. _Man, did they _have _to give me a bath? I didn't smell that bad!_

An Australian accent. _If only I had my flame thrower. . ._

A deeper, more sophisticated voice, one that Elizabeth would recognize anywhere. _I never would have believed that one man could imprison me so easily. . ._

Elizabeth got out of bed and left her room, following the voices, praying that they weren't who she thought they were.

Space

"Excuse me?" someone whispered.

Magneto looked up, startled.

The girl jerked away from the window, frightened at the sudden movement.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"Me," he heard a tiny voice say. "I heard all of you in my head, but you're the first one I've seen. What are you doing down here? What happened to you?"

Magneto rose from the chair he was sitting in and went to the window. "You!" he said, recognizing Elizabeth. "So you are here, after all!"

"Only today," she said, looking at him solemnly. "What made you think I was here?"

"We thought that Dr. O'Toole had you, so we came to get you," Magneto explained. "He even told us he had you, but before we realized it, he had us in a trap."

Elizabeth watched his mind, seeing how it had happened: They had heard that a man called Dr. O'Toole had taken on a new student called Elizabeth, so they had staked the campus out to see if it were her. They had even seen a girl that looked like her running around outside of the school building, so they had moved in that night, determined to take her. What they hadn't counted on were O'Toole's defenses—they were better than Xavier's, and when they had all woken up from the battle's aftermath, they were in these rooms down below the school, feeling weak and literally powerless. O'Toole came every now and then, promising them their liberty if they promised to work for him.

"He took your powers?" Elizabeth gasped, shocked. "How?"

Magneto shook his head. "I don't know, child. I wish I knew. Do you think you could open the doors?"

She looked at him. "I haven't forgotten the trash can, you know."

He groaned. "I promise you, all I want is to get out! I swear it!"

A door opening somewhere startled them both, and Elizabeth looked for somewhere to hide.

"Listen," Magneto said, whispering urgently. "At least warn Xavier for me! Tell him to get all of you out of here, himself specifically! O'Toole wishes powers like his!"

Elizabeth nodded, stepped back, and teleported straight to the Professor's room. Scurrying to his bed, she shook him, hissing his name in her hurry.

"Professor! Professor, wake up!" she said, close to tears. "Please, wake up!"

A hand grabbed her wrist, startling her.

"Hello, Elizabeth," she heard O'Toole's voice say. "The Professor is downstairs. How about we join him?"

She screamed and fought, lashing out with all of her powers, but something else covered them and rendered them ineffectual, leaving her helpless. That same something invaded her mind, crowding all things but the thought of sleep out. Slowly, she slumped to the floor, and O'Toole took her downstairs to lock her up with the rest of the Xavier kids.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: My thanks to all my reviewers!

Paprika90: Glad you liked it. Sorry it's taken me so long. School, other stories that pop into my hand and demand to be updated or written…I'm sure you know how it is. Thanks a lot, and keep reviewing!

Ephona: Hey, all you need is a sum of 21! Thanks for reviewing!

Kaliann: Glad you like no love it! I love writing when I get reviews like this.

Thanks, everybody!

Chapter 9

"I think she's coming to."

Elizabeth zeroed in on the voice that sounded like Scott's and followed it back to consciousness. Her head was pounding, her mouth was dry, and she had a little crick in her neck. She fought gummy and gritty eyelids open, and found herself staring at a ceiling with a dim light. When she looked around, she spotted the Xavier kids.

"What happened?" she asked, sitting up, wincing as her head gave a nasty pound. "Where are we?" She gasped as her memory came back to her. "Where's the Professor? I've gotta tell him--"

"He's not here," Jean said, sitting down beside her. "We haven't seen him since we woke up here."

"How did we get here?" Elizabeth asked, looking around. It was a rectangular room, and the only way out of it were a door to the hallway and a door to the bathroom. The floor and walls were made of cement and plaster over wood, and mats with blankets and pillows were spread all over the floor. Beyond that, there was nothing to see.

"O'Toole and a couple of his students brought us in. O'Toole's a mutant, too, but he can take powers like Rogue can, without draining people's energy or taking their memories. It takes him a while, though, while it only takes Rogue a second," Scott explained.

"How do you know?" Elizabeth asked, warily getting to her feet.

"Well, we saw 'im work his magic on Kurt," Rogue muttered. She pointed to where Kurt lay, dead to the world. "He doesn't drain your energy, but he does make your body shut down, it seems. I guess he did that to give us all an example."

"And he took mine before he even brought me down here," Kitty wailed. "I _still_ have a headache!"

Eilzabeth swallowed hard, feeling very frightened. "How much does he know about us?"

"Just about everything," Rogue said, sounding furious. "He has this one girl who can read minds like crazy. Just read them, not talk into them or anything like that. He sounded real happy when he heard about Mystique from Kurt's mind."

"Well, he's welcome to her," Scott said. "We've got to get out of here!"

Elizabeth looked around the room, wondering where the teachers all were. "Where are Logan, Storm, and Beast? Aren't they here with us?"

"Nope," Jean said, sounding thoroughly upset. "We haven't seen them, either. Boy, am I glad that the rest of the understudents are back at the Institute!"

"_Ach. Mein Kopf,_" they heard as Kurt sat up, wincing and holding his head. "_Was ist geschehen?_"

"English, Kurt," Scott said, going to his side. "We're in the States."

"_Ja._ What' s happened? What did he do to me?"

"He managed to take your power," Rogue said from where she sat. "We saw it happen."

"No!" Kurt gasped as he tried to teleport and nothing happened. "Oh, man!"

"Too bad he didn't turn blue and fuzzy," Rogue quipped.

"Not funny," Kurt said, glaring at her. "Not funny at all. How long have we been down here? What time is it?"

Scott checked his watch. "About five in the morning. It's been a couple of hours now."

Elizabeth sat down on a mat, trying to think. "He's been taking everybody's powers, right?"

"Unfortunately," Kitty snarled. "I hate that jerk!"

"Who still has powers?"

Jean, Scott, Rogue, and Elizabeth raised their hands.

"Okay, we'll have to think of a way to get out of here using the powers we have," Elizabeth said, getting to her feet.

"But how?" Kurt wanted to know. "Sure, Scott can blast us out of here, but what next? How do we find the Professor or the others?"

"We'll think of something," Elizabeth assured him. "We're not totally helpless, you know!"

"I know, I'm just worried," Kurt said, sounding much worse than simply worried.

Space

Xavier woke up, feeling if his head were ready to split apart. Had he been in the car with Kitty driving again? Had they been unable to phase through something? Had he done the unthinkable and agreed to spar with Logan? What had happened?

"Ah, you're awake, Professor," he heard someone say. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible," he croaked. "Where am I?" He turned his head and spotted O'Toole, who was looking quite pleased with himself.

"You're in my lab," he said, smiling. "Quite nice, don't you think?"

That was when the Professor came completely awake and remembered everything that had happened. "Where are my students? What have you done to them?"

"They're perfectly safe," O'Toole assured him. "They're resting. I've become acquainted with your students Kurt and Kitty, however. Their powers are quite useful."

Xavier wanted to leap from the table where he was lying and shake the man. "You've managed to take their powers? Mine as well, I take it?"

"If you'd try using them, you'd find that I have not," O'Toole said, sounding distinctly put out. "I think it will take more than one try on my part. The more powerful the mutant, the more difficult and longer the process is for me."

"Why are you doing this, O'Toole?" the Professor asked, sounding mystified. "Why do you steal the powers of others?"

"To have them, of course," O'Toole said, smiling. He no longer resembled the affable man they had met the other day. Now he looked like a hungry bird of prey that was sighting a plump mouse. "I can take the powers of others and keep them for myself or transfer them to others. With your students' powers, my students will be the most powerful on earth, you see, and no one will be able to stop us from anything we wish to do. I'm surprised you didn't recognize some of the powers that my students were demonstrating when you first arrived. They're all the powers that your friend Magneto and his protégés have, didn't you realize?"

With a sinking heart, Xavier realized that what he said was true. He had seen the powers and hadn't understood what they had meant. Then again, he hadn't had any reason to suspect that anything was wrong.

"Where are Logan, Storm, and Beast?" the Professor asked, becoming just a trifle worried. Usually, he could count on Logan to come tearing into a place when he was threatened with a mad villain and dice the place up.

"They're in little rooms of their own. After all, I couldn't have you all together and plotting escape, could I?" O'Toole said, turning on a television screen so that he could see them. "Logan's quite amusing, I have to admit. Doesn't he realize that the walls are adamantium? Really!"

The Professor ignored O'Toole's laughter and checked on each of his faculty, assuring himself that they were all right.

_Professor?_

A quiet mind-voice had touched his own, startling him. _Elizabeth?_

_Yes. We've made a plan, and we're going to try to get out,_ she thought to him.

_BOOM!_

"What the devil?" O'Toole gasped, shocked at the explosion.

_We're out,_ the Professor heard her say. _Hold on, we're coming!_

German Dictionary:

Ah, my head! What has happened?


	10. Chapter 10

Major hugs and kudos to my reviewers!

Ace: Hey, I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the smile and the 100/100.

Paprika90: Ah, life. It just gets more hectic all the time. Here's an update for you.

KaliAnn: O'Toole's thefts will be explained. Kurt talks in German because he's from Germany—he wasn't quite awake when he woke up, so he reverted back to his first language. Glad you're waiting. You're about to get your reward.

Chapter 10

Pandemonium was reigning in the lower levels of O'Toole's school. It didn't help that a fuzzy blue kid with a tail was running around, either. O'Toole's students didn't know what to do or where to run: No matter where they looked, there were monsters coming to eat them! How such things had gotten into the school was beyond them, but all they wanted to do was get out of that place as soon as possible. Giant hairy things with clubs, fanged beasts with drool running from their lips, and giant insects were some of the horrors that the students were glimpsing, and they were frightened past all irrational thought.

"How are you doing, Elizabeth?" Scott asked as he, Elizabeth, and the rest of Xavier's students progressed past O'Toole's screaming students.

"I'm fine," she said. "Don't talk to me, though, I'm concentrating."

Kurt stopped running around and rejoined the rest of the group. "I found them," he said to Scott. "They're in the next hallway."

Scott led the group around the corner, and more than one member covered his or her ears.

"Do they have to scream like that?" Rogue asked, wincing.

"They're seeing horrible things," Jean said reasonably. "What else can they do?"

"Yeah," Kitty said, grinning. "They look ridiculous, screaming about things that aren't there."

"They only believe they're seeing them," Elizabeth pointed out. "I've used the monsters to herd all of O'Toole's students outside, and they've locked the door behind them and they're trying to hold it closed to keep the monsters from breaking it down. They'll be busy for a while."

"That is too awesome," Scott said, looking around the hallway. "Where are they, Kurt?"

"Through those doors," Kurt said, pointing to some doors on the right. "There are three rooms there, and that's where they are."

"All right," Scott said, still leading the way. "Let's go."

They found their teachers on the other side, each one in a room of his or her own. The doors to the rooms had little windows, and the students could look inside and see what was happening.

Storm had a miniature storm going on inside her room, trying to break the door with lightning. Beast was pounding away at the door, trying to cave it in, and Logan was using his claws.

"Those doors look like adamantium," Scott said, looking worried. "How are we going to get them out?"

_BAMF._

Elizabeth had teleported right into Beast's cell, and a moment later, they teleported out together.

"Well, that's useful," Rogue said, giving Elizabeth a smile. "I forgot you could do that."

Elizabeth returned the smile. "I'll get the others."

Two bamfs later and the Xavier students were reunited with all of their teachers save one.

"Thanks," Logan said, extending his claws. "What do you kids say to a little O'Toole shish kebab?"

"Easy, Logan," Storm said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "O'Toole has the Professor, remember? If we go in there ready to slice and dice, he might try to hurt him."

"Don't forget fricassee," Logan growled.

"I concur with Storm," Beast said. "We must be cautious."

"I have an idea," Elizabeth said, almost too softly for anyone to hear. "But it's going to be tricky."

"How so?" Storm asked, intrigued.

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "O'Toole's left the Professor alone while he goes to find out what caused the explosion and why his students are all terrified. We have to keep him away from the Professor long enough in order for us to have enough time in which to rescue him. I could distract him while you guys go and get him."

"Absolutely not, quarter pint," Logan said, scowling. "You're not about to put yourself in danger."

"Do you have a better plan?" Elizabeth demanded, suddenly looking angry. "He could be hurting the Professor right now! We have to tackle O'Toole using his own rules! That's the one thing he won't expect us to do!"

Logan wasn't the only one surprised by the girl's vehemence.

"All right, Elizabeth," Beast said, laying a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "What is your plan?"

Space

O'Toole located his hysterical students outside the school, holding a door shut with all their might. It was the work of a few moments to show them that there was _nothing_ behind it and that they weren't on the verge of being eaten. He herded them back inside, checked on Magneto and his group, and then felt his heart lurch when he saw that the wall had been blown apart on another room and that all of the Xavier students were missing.

"Hey!"

O'Toole looked down the hall, surprised by the shout. It was the blonde-haired girl, Elizabeth. O'Toole had to look twice at her: an aura of power surrounded her, crackling and pulsing at an incredible rate.

"If you want to tangle with someone, you tangle with me!" she shouted, stalking towards O'Toole. "How dare you imprison us!"

O'Toole smirked. She was no challenge. After all, he'd managed to send her into unconsciousness with little trouble before. Confidently, he said, "Little girl, you have no idea what sort of power you are pitting yourself against. I suggest you give up now."

Elizabeth glared at him. "Power? You call stealing from someone _power_? I call it cowardice! Coward! Hypocrite!"

O'Toole was getting tired of the name-calling, but a part of him lauded her for her temerity. "I haven't the time for this. Why don't you save me a little trouble and tell me where your friends are?"

Elizabeth sent a burst of power flying at his head. "Like I'd tell _you_!" she screamed. "I _hate_ you! Only a tyrant would do something like this!"

O'Toole felt a little twinge of worry at the manic glint in Elizabeth's eyes. Apparently, the child was disturbed.

"Lock us up, will you?" she demanded, still advancing on him. "Take our powers, will you? Separate us from our teacher, huh?" More bolts of power flew at O'Toole.

O'Toole was tired of dodging. Almost lazily, he made the entire floor shake, hoping to knock her and her bravado down.

The floor stilled.

Disconcerted, O'Toole dislodged some pipes using Magneto's power and sent them to wrap themselves around the girl. With hardly a blink, Elizabeth sent them flying back towards O'Toole, and it was only his quick reflexes that saved him from being clotheslined.

"How are you doing that?" O'Toole demanded. Apparently, this girl wasn't what she seemed to be.

"Sorry," she said, grinning a little. "A magician never reveals her secrets."

O'Toole's anger snapped. It was enough that this…this _child_ was interfering, but now she was toying with him! O'Toole took out a small dart, and it ignited in his hand. With one fluid motion he sent it flying towards Elizabeth.

He was almost too fast for her, but with a flick of the hand, it teleported out to explode somewhere else in the house. He heard something shatter.

"That had better not have been the computer!" O'Toole growled at her.

Elizabeth smiled. "That big thing in your lab?" she asked.

O'Toole stared at her. How could she know what was there? As far as he knew, she'd never been there.

"Don't worry," she said, still smiling. "It was."

O'Toole picked up a section of wall and threw it at her, and it flattened her a moment later. Satisfied, he went over and lifted it up, ready to gloat.

There was no one there.

_BAMF._

"Behind you, Sherlock," he heard. Wheeling around, he saw Elizabeth a moment before he was knocked unconscious by a fist that had suddenly become as hard as rock.


	11. Chapter 11

Kudos to paprika90! Thanks for reviewing, mon amie.

Chapter 11

While Elizabeth was keeping O'Toole occupied, the rest of the Xavier students rushed towards the lab after Professor X.

"How did you know where the lab was, Logan?" Scott asked, surprised that the older man knew.

"He tried to keep me there to take my power, but I wasn't cooperative," Wolverine snarled, still sounding ready to kill O'Toole. "He said something about my causing way too much property damage and locked me in that cell. Too bad for the cell."

Scott felt a grin starting, and he could hear Nightcrawler laughing behind him. As Storm had once said, where Logan was, there was damage. He couldn't resist slice and dicing things, especially if he were angry.

"How much further?" Beast asked, anxious to get the Professor.

"Just around this bend here," Logan said, heading around it. Everyone else followed him while Kitty just went through it. She was too worried about Xavier to think about going around corners.

Seeing the lab, all of the kids hurled themselves at the door and swept into the room beyond with all the force of a tsunami.

"Professor?" Jean called. "Professor!"

"Here!" the Professor called back weakly. "Jean, I'm over here!"

They found the Professor lying down on a table, pale and shaky.

"_Heilig Scheisse!_" Kurt choked as soon as he saw how white the Professor was. "What did he do to you?"

"Oh, I'm all right," the Professor said as Logan helped him to sit up. "Just a little tired."

"You're too forgiving, Chuck," Logan said, pulling him off the table and holding him in his arms. "Wait till I get my claws on that bastard."

"Logan, please, not in front of the students!" Xavier said, holding onto Logan's shoulders and closing his eyes. "Whatever he did to me, I can't keep my eyes open…"

"Just rest, Chuck," Logan said as they headed out of the room. "We're getting out of here."

Space

Elizabeth smiled as she saw Dr. O'Toole crumple underneath the blow from her fist. Leaving the nutty doctor where he lay, she sprinted down corridors in an effort to meet up with the rest of the Institute students. She didn't like being separated from them for long. There was, after all, safety in numbers.

She was passing a block of rooms when she heard shouting. She stopped, her bare feet sliding a little on the smooth cement floor, and listened. Imagining that her hearing was superstrong, she pinpointed where the sounds were coming from and headed that way, unable to turn away from the cries for help that she was hearing.

She almost left when she realized who it was. How could she have been so stupid? Of _course_ Magneto was still locked up! No one had let him or the Brotherhood out! She felt like kicking herself.

"You!" Magneto said as she came into the view of his door. "Let me out!"

Fear clamped its jaws on her, and she hung back, shaking her head.

"Child, I swear to you, I'm not going to do _anything_!" he pledged desperately. "All I wish is for my team and I to get out and get away from this madman! Surely you can sympathize with that!"

"Do you promise not to come after me and kidnap me again?" she demanded. "Or send anyone after me? Or try to trick me into coming to you?"

Magneto groaned. "Right now, I only want out! I'm not exactly plotting your kidnapping while I'm stuck in here!"

Elizabeth put out her hand, ready to open the door, but stopped. She wasn't about to do _anything _for Magneto unless he promised first. "Promise!"

Magneto glared at her. "A promise is only words, girl, nothing more. There is nothing in a promise that could keep me from doing exactly as I please later on."

Elizabeth fought down a smile. How little did he know about promises, especially promises made to her. She always imagined the words to be binding, and so they were. That was why she rarely asked for or made promises. They had true power if she were part of the equation. He would have to keep his word if he promised.

"I won't accept another answer, Magneto," she said, glaring back at him. "You can either promise, or you can stay in there."

The look on his face told Elizabeth that he was ready to do serious harm to her, but he swallowed the words that she could tell were bubbling up. "What do you want me to say?" he choked out.

"I want you to say, 'I promise not to come after you, kidnap you, or send one of my people to kidnap you, and I also promise not to try tricking you into coming to me. Also, I promise to keep my minions from trying to kidnap you without my knowledge. I promise that I will tell them that you are now 'off-limits.' I promise to respect your right to make your own decisions, and I promise to keep my word," Elizabeth said, smiling the slightest bit. "That last promise you made during the night wasn't worth much."

Magneto glared at her, and Elizabeth was sure that if looks could kill, she would become a smoking spot on the floor within moments.

"Magneto," she said, growing impatient, "I have to leave with the Professor in the next few minutes, and I'm not going to wait around all night for you to decide if you're going to promise or not. Either promise, or forget about it. I'm not letting you out until you promise, so you'll just have to live with it."

It took a moment, but Magneto managed to say the words. "Now will you let me out?" he demanded.

She nodded, stepped back, held out her hand, and all through the block, doors opened. Once the doors were swinging open, she was running. Magneto wouldn't be happy with her once he felt that promise take hold…

"Wha…What did you _do_ to me?" she heard him howl as the weight of the promise settled on him and disappeared.

She scooted around a corner and shouted back, "You promised! Keep that promise!"

Swearing under his breath, Magneto told his team to move out.

Space

"Where's the quarter pint?" Logan asked as they reached an outside door and headed for the Blackbird. "She said she'd be all right!"

BAMF.

"Hi," Elizabeth said. "Can we go? I mean, like now? Please?"

"Why so eager?" Scott asked, slightly surprised at her worry.

"Wouldn't you be eager to leave a place with a power-stealing mad scientist?" Rogue demanded. "Sometimes, Summers, I think you're crazy. I'm with Elizabeth—let's go!"

They piled into the Blackbird, and once everyone was seated, they took off.

The Professor opened his eyes. "Are we going home?"

"Yep, we're on our way home," Logan assured him. "Don't worry, Chuck."

"Once we're home," the Professor said, fighting sleep, "we need to talk about all of this. There's something else…"

What else there was, it would have to wait, because the Professor had fallen back asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

During the week after their awful stay at O'Toole's Academy, the Xavier students were very subdued. The under students wondered what had happened, but no one was really willing to talk about it. The Professor began to take impromptu naps all over the mansion, and Elizabeth did the same thing. More than once she was found curled up in an armchair or on a sofa, oblivious to the world.

No one would have minded if that had been all, but there were still some students who were missing their powers. Kurt and Kitty seemed rather lost during practice without their abilities to teleport or phase. Kurt kept on having to walk up and downstairs, along hallways, and through doors, and it seemed he couldn't get used to it. Kitty was having the same trouble. More than once she walked into walls.

Elizabeth wouldn't say more than a word at a time, and she didn't do much besides nap. Beast often would take her temperature, but she said that she wasn't sick, just tired.

The doorbell rang very late one night, and it was Logan who answered it. He dropped into a defensive crouch and looked ready to attack, but the man on the front stairs held up a hand to forestall him.

"It is all right, Wolverine," Magneto said. "I have to talk to Charles."

Wolverine stared at him. "What do you want to talk to him about?" he snarled, making his claws come out.

Magneto glared. "That's no one's business but mine or Charles'. Now, are you going to let me see him or not?"

Wolverine looked at him, as if considering it.

"Let him in, Logan," the Professor said, wheeling his way into the room. "I need to talk to him anyway."

"All right, Chuck. But I'm tellin' ya, I don't like it."

The Professor and Magneto went to his office, where they faced one another across the Professor's desk.

"I suppose you know what it is I want to talk about," Magneto said, by way of preamble.

"I have a good idea," the Professor replied. "O'Toole?"

Magneto nodded. "Indeed. I feel that he is a threat to all mutants. He is able to steal powers--he is able to take them permanently. What sort of vicissitudes will this have for all of us?"

"It could be a blessing to some, Erik," Charles put in quietly. "Some mutants wish to not have powers, or to have never had them at all."

Magneto nodded. "I know what you mean, Charles, but think--if he takes the powers of countless mutants, how powerful will he grow? Once he has this power, what is to stop him from enslaving the rest of the world? He doesn't ask or offer to take your powers, does he? No, he steals them. Do you realize that I can barely make a dime shift on a table, when before I was able to do almost anything? I couldn't stop him, none of my team can stop him, and I doubt your students can. He is dangerous, Charles. We can't let him grow in power, but we must stop him now while we have the chance."

"He's right, Professor," a very quiet voice said.

Both men turned and saw Elizabeth standing in the door, still looking like a wan little ghost.

"I saw into his mind through yours, Professor," she said, coming forward and plopping onto the couch. "He plans to be the ruler of mutants, and he wishes to have the humans as members of a subclass. Pretty fancy words for slaves," she muttered. "If a mutant pledges his loyalty, he gets to keep his powers. If not, then he takes his powers and he becomes a member of the subclass."

"And you're telling us this _now_?" Magneto demanded.

Elizabeth glared at him. "Yes, now," she said angrily. "I've just now become sure of it. When I saw into his mind, everything was a jumble, and I've managed to put the pieces together just today."

"When did you see into his mind, Elizabeth?" the Professor asked, motioning for Magneto to be silent.

"Just as we were leaving, Professor," she said. "I was 'looking' you over, to make sure you were all right. He left some of his thoughts in your mind, and that was where I found them. It's taken me a while to tell what they were. Right now, he's gathering powers for his takeover. Do you remember that 'something else' you were going to tell us? That was what it was."

Magneto looked thoughtful. "Elizabeth, can you imagine our powers back?" he asked. "Or imagine a weakness for us to use against Dr. O'Toole? Or. . .something?"

Both men looked at her while she studied her slippered toes. To the Professor, she seemed very young and vulnerable, sitting there in her nightgown and slippers. She looked more like a little girl than a young woman.

"I think I can do. . .something," she said. "But I don't know what, yet. We have a while to think about it."

"How long a while?" Magneto persisted.

"Maybe a week or two," she said, still examining her slippers. They had been a gift from Hank, and they were fluffy and pink. "I'll let you know if I've thought of anything by tomorrow, all right? I have to go get some more rest."

With that, she left.

Magneto sighed once she was gone. "Are you as worried as I am?"

The Professor didn't have to answer.


	13. Chapter 13

DVD's to my reviewers!

Kaliann—I'm up to the usual. I'm glad you love it!

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Whylime—Why, thank you! I'm glad you like it!

Ace—I'm updating!

Chapter 13

The next morning, Elizabeth locked herself in the Danger Room and refused to allow anyone inside with her. Also, she asked not to be disturbed: she would come out when she was ready and when she was finished with what she was doing. Worried, Logan took up a sentry's position in the watchtower, deciding to keep an eye on the quarter-pint.

There wasn't much to see. Elizabeth was down there, sitting on the floor cross-legged, with her hands resting on her knees and her eyes closed. She looked as if she were concentrating on something that only she knew about.

Logan stayed for a while, watching, but when he saw nothing happen, he began to wonder what it was that she was doing. Worried, he decided to talk to Charles about it.

"And she's just sitting in there on the floor, not doing anything. That's not normal for a kid, Chuck," he finished, after describing the situation to his friend.

Charles nodded. "I know. When you think 'teenager' the image of sustained attention is not one that comes to mind. I think she's all right, Logan. She's just working on our problem."

Logan snorted. "O'Toole?"

Charles nodded again. "It may be that Elizabeth has the only power that can counteract him. Magneto asked her to imagine a weakness that we could use against him, but I don't think that's what she has in mind. I think she's trying to find a solution that will benefit everyone."

"That kid has got to be the world's leading idealist, if that's what she's trying to do," Logan muttered, walking beside the Professor. "There's no such thing as a happy ending."

"If such a thing is true, Logan, then there's nothing to keep her from trying for it," Charles pointed out. "It is the eternal hope of the youth that everything will turn out all right in the end."

"Whatever you say, Chuck."

Space

Elizabeth was oblivious to the hard floor underneath her, the way that the Danger Room was just a little too cold, and the way that her body was cramped from sitting in one position for far too long. No, she only saw the patterns and images in her mind as she wove and embroidered her thoughts, hoping for a final piece that was what she needed. Time and again, finding the final product to be not what she wanted, she unraveled her work and began again, always starting with the wide open empty space in her mind that she called The Canvas.

Whenever she closed her eyes, it was there. It was a canvas in truth, allowing her to imagine and create on its empty space, always inviting her to come with the paints, crayons, and pencils of her imagination. It was there that she imagined herself having countless powers, all fueled by her imagination. There were times when she wondered if the powers were her powers or if imagination was the only power she possessed. If the latter were true, she hoped to never run out of imagination, ever.

She had her images to begin with: Dr. O'Toole. Now, to make him what she wanted. She wished that he would be a kind person, every bit as kind as the Professor, a man who could be your best friend, teacher, and father all in one human being. She imagined his ambitions turned to teaching the young, not controlling them or encouraging their darker sides so he could later use them as tools in his quest to conquer. She yearned for his highest aspirations to be nothing more threatening than a healer or teacher, not a despot.

Again, like so many times before, there was something lacking when she finished the image. Frustrated and feeling ready to cry, Elizabeth banished the image and opened her eyes, catching the sting of forming tears. The Professor was counting on her, and still she had nothing to show him! Nothing to give him the slightest hope that O'Toole could be defeated! Nothing, nothing, nothing!

Oh, now she was truly crying! Tears were running down her face, and when she heard herself sob, the last of her resistance broke down and she crumpled the rest of the way to the floor, crying as if she didn't know how to stop. She was crying so hard that she didn't hear the door unlock or the _whirr_ of approaching wheels. She didn't realize that she was no longer alone until she felt a hand on her shoulder, lending quiet support.

She looked up and met the Professor's eyes. One moment, she was on the floor, and the next, she was standing and crying on his shoulder, weeping all of her frustration into the jacket of his suit.

"It's all right, Elizabeth," the Professor said. "It's not as bad as it seems."

"Yes, it is," she whimpered, sniffling. Charles smiled and handed her a handkerchief. "Thank you."

"Not a problem. Now, why is everything so awful? You're doing a fine job!"

"I don't want Dr. O'Toole to stay a bad man!" she said, wiping her eyes. "I want him to be good, and to do as much good as you and the other teachers here do! But, whenever I try to make him into what I want for him to be, he ends up flawed! I can't make him be like you, and I can't make him into what I wish him to be!"

"So instead of trying to find a way to defeat him, you're trying to make him into someone who is not a threat at all. That's very clever, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth looked at him, still tearful. "I'm not clever. If I were clever, I would have managed it by now."

Charles patted her hands between his. "Well, try to think about this in another light: If there were something you didn't like about me, would you try to change me?"

"But I don't want to change you."

"Well, if there were?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, you're fine the way you are. You are the way you are because that is the way you're supposed to be. . . I think. That's a really simplified way of putting it, but we are the way we are because that's what we're supposed to be, because to be any other way would not be _being_ who we are."

Charles blinked at the complicated and intricate concept. "And how did you arrive at this conclusion?"

"I tried to change myself, but it wouldn't take," she said, looking thoughtful. "So when it didn't work, I tried to find out why. That was when I realized that I was supposed to be a person who had an imagination that could create or give her anything she wanted. It didn't matter what I wanted _then_, what mattered was what I was supposed to be."

"And what or who is Dr. O'Toole supposed to be?" Charles asked, leading her to a new conclusion. "Is it possible that he's the way he is because that's what he's meant to be?"

"It's. . .possible," she conceded. "But there's a myriad of results a person can be, aren't there? People change all the time! So why can't I change Dr. O'Toole into something else he's meant to be?"

"Perhaps nothing has happened to help him to change," the Professor said, smiling once he saw understanding dawn on her face. To Charles' utter surprise, Elizabeth flew at him, hugged him breathless, left a resounding _smack! _of a kiss on top of his head, and all but shot out of the Danger Room, calling her thanks over her shoulder.

"Well!" Charles said, rubbing the spot she kissed in surprise. "Well!"

"I saw that, Chuck," Logan said, coming into the Danger Room. "That was good of you, to help her out like that."

Charles shrugged. "It's the prerogative of a teacher to help a student in difficulties," he said, diffidently. "Also, I couldn't stand seeing her so unhappy!"

"You're telling me," Logan said, taking out a cigar. "I ain't never seen a kid cry like that! And I thought Kitty watching one of her romances was bad!"

Charles chuckled. "A woman in tears is the one thing that can bring a man to his knees, I'm afraid."

"Too right," Logan agreed, biting off the end and getting ready to light his cigar.

That was the moment that Scott came in, looking worried. "Professor, did you give Elizabeth permission to go somewhere?"

The older men snapped to attention. "Elizabeth's gone somewhere?" Charles blurted, surprised.

"Yeah, she just flew out the door, saying she would be back later, but when I asked her what time, she said she didn't know. I thought I'd better check with you."

Logan and the Professor exchanged looks, wondering if Elizabeth had done what they were both fearing she'd done.

Space

After imagining herself invisible and able to fly, Elizabeth soared above the clouds, staring down at the passing landscape below her. The ground looked like a child's playset, and all of the people and buildings and animals looked like toys. Below her, she could see a farm spread out, and she found herself remembering her Fischer-Price Little People Farm with fondness. She could remember all the names she'd given her Little People, and she could remember all the games she used to play! If she wanted to, she could build another farm in her head, but she could do that later. Right now, she had to get herself ready. She was going to help O'Toole change.


End file.
